The main Soncran day for Pattaya is Sunday 19th,
so the Bridge club is unaffected and will be open throughout Soncran week.

I am aware that the cards are getting a bit
grubby, I will be getting new ones when Phil and Bob P return, they are both
bringing some packs.

May I remind people to keep their cards on the
table after play until the score has been agreed, this is especially important
if you are playing the French pair.

Would people please remember to put the
travelers back in the boards after the last round. There was a scoring problem
on Monday when the French pair (who else?) simply left the traveler lying on
the table to be swept away with the rubbish.

Congratulations to Hans Vickman, for achieving
the triple (three wins in one week) for a 2nd time.

Gold Cup = Best 30

Silver Plate = Best 10

Bronze Medal = Best 5

Current standings

11-April-2009

643.2 Janne Roos

638.9 Hans Vikman

625.5 Paul Quodomine

612.8 Lars Broman

610.1 Sally Watson

609.9 Bob Short

607.6 Per Andersson

595.8 Jean Wissing

588.6 Derek & Gerard

586.4 Johan Bratsberg

331.8 Janne Roos

329.0 Hans Vikman

321.7 Bob Short

321.0 Per Andersson

320.9 Paul Quodomine

317.5 Sally Watson

316.1 Lars Broman

312.8 Dave Hurst

311.4 Eddie Richart

310.1 Jean Wissing

Obey the LawBoard 16 from Wednesday 8th

Dealer:♠
QJ103

West♥ J1064WestNorthEastSouth(D)

E-W vul♦ K5pass(1)1♣(2)pass(3)1♥

♣ AJ5pass2♥passpass

dbl(4)pass3♣(5)pass(6)

♠AK64N♠ 75passpass(7)

♥ 32WE♥ KQ

♦Q8643S♦J109

♣
Q6♣
K109743

♠ 982

♥
A9875

♦A72

♣ 82

(1)This hand complies with the rule of 20, and
with most of the points in the long suits I would not argue with a 1♦ opening.

(2)Playing a short ♣

(3)2♣
here would be conventional (Michaels) even over a possible short ♣.

(4)Nice bid, letting the opponents play peacefully
in 2♥ is not an option. This double asks partner to
choose between ♦’s and ♠’s.

(5)However, with excellent ♣’s, East chose to bid them, fine.

(6)What did you bid with this South hand D in this
week’s quiz? This South passed ‘because he only had 8 points’. Points smoints –
points are irrelevant in competitive situations like this, what is important is
the total number of trumps. South can assume a 9 card ♥ fit and should compete with 3♥.

(7)This pass is correct – it is South who has the
extra trump and who should have bid.

And what happened? Four N-S’s played in 2♥ or 3♥ and all scored 140. There was a spurious score
of 3♠-1 by North and 3♣ made exactly for the top to E-W.

The bottom lines: -

-Obey the
Law – in a competitive auction, compete to the level of the known trump fit.

An interesting Multi-Landy AuctionBoard 2 from Wednesday 8th

Dealer:♠10532Table
A

East♥ -WestNorthEastSouth(B)

N-S vul♦ KQJ986--1NT2♦(1)

♣ 1072pass(2)pass(3)pass

♠A9876N♠ KQJTable
B

♥ 1042WE♥ A87WestNorthEastSouth(B)

♦A532S♦1074--1NT3♥(1)

♣
9♣
AK533♠(4)pass4♠all pass

♠ 4

♥
KQJ9653

♦-

♣ QJ864

Table A:(1)What did you bid with this South hand B in
this week’s quiz? There are a number of options and this South chose to bid a
Multi-Landy 2♦, showing a single major suited hand.

(2)West does not know for sure that South has ♥’s, so pass is best now as she can bid ♠’s next go assuming North relays with 2♥ and South passes.

(3)But with a near solid ♦ suit a void in partner’s presumed major, North
quite reasonably decided to pass.

Table B:(1)As I said, there are options for question B. 2♥ (showing ♥’s
and a minor) being another. But with this powerful two suiter and 7 card ♥ suit I personally would like to bid something
more. The 3♥ bid chosen here is fine and 4♥ is also worth considering.

(4)West
decided to bid his ♠’s.

And what happened? Four E-W’s bid to 4♠: +1, =, and -2 twice. Another pair went over the top with 6♠-2 and 2♦
drifted 4 off for 400 and a decent score to E-W.

The bottom lines: -

-A decent
hand with 1705 shape is worth more that a conventional two-level bid over a 1NT
opening (especially if it may get passed!).

Dave’s ColumnHere is Dave’s first
input about the play of the hand.

NorthSouthYou are North, declarer in 4♥ after East had
overcalled in ♣’s.

♠AK♠5432East leads the ♣K which West overtakes with the ♣A and

♥ AKJ107♥
Q98returns the ♣7to East’s ♣Q. North ruffs
the ♣10 which comes

♦ Q843♦ A92next
as West discards the ♠6. Declarer draws
three rounds of

♣ J5♣ 432trumps,
West discarding the ♠9 on the third.
Declarer then leads the ♣A,K upon which East
follows with the ♠10 and ♠Q.

How should declarer play the ♦’s?

Dave’s Column
answerBoard 12 from Wednesday 8th

Dealer:♠AKWestNorthEastSouth

West♥AKJ107pass1♥2♣2♥

N-S vul♦ Q843pass4♥all
pass

♣ J5

♠
J9876N♠ Q10

♥ 43WE♥ 652

♦10765S♦KJ

♣ A7♣ KQ10986

♠5432

♥
Q98

♦ A92

♣ 432

♠ -After
the start given on the previous page,

♥ 10the
situation is as shown.

♦ Q843How should North play the ♦’s?

♣ -

You know that East
started with 6 ♣’s, 3 ♥’s

♠
JN♠ -and at least 2 ♠’s. The auction tells
you that

♥ -WE♥ -East is more likely to have the ♦K and if so,

♦10765S♦KJit must be doubleton or
singleton.

♣ -♣ 986 So you play a low ♦ towards dummy’s ♦A,

But when the ♦J appears from East you duck!

♠54The ♦A will drop
the ♦K on the next round and

♥
-the
marked finesse will pick up West’s

♦ A92protected ♦10. Note that South should

♣ -unblock
the ♦9 on the first round of the suit. That is not
important here as North still has a trump entry, but it is good technique.

And what happened at the Pattaya bridge club?
Not surprisingly nobody found this line of play and everybody in 4♥ went one or two down. Other results were 3♥-1 and 2♥+2.

Dave’s 2nd
ColumnHere
is Dave’s 2nd input concerning the play of the hand.

WestEastYou are East, declarer in 4♥ after South has
shown a ♠

♠AQ♠
9843suit. South leads the ♠5 and dummy’s ♠Q holds.

♥ K93♥ AJ652Plan
the play.

♦8653♦A

♣
9642♣ KQJ

Dave’s 2nd
Column answerBoard
10 from Wednesday 8th

Dealer:♠J6Book
Auction

East♥ 84WestNorthEastSouth(A)

both vul♦ Q974--1♥1♠(1)

♣ A107532♥pass3♥pass

4♥all pass

♠AQN♠ 9843

♥ K93WE♥ AJ652Table
B

♦8653S♦AWestNorthEastSouth(A)

♣
9642♣ KQJ--1♥pass(1)

♠ K107522♥pass2♠(2)dbl(3)

♥
Q1074♥(4)5♣(5)dblall
pass

♦KJ102

♣ 8

Book(1)What did you bid with this South hand A in
this week’s quiz? This hand is easily

Auction:good enough for a 1♠ overcall.

Table B:(1)For some reason this South passed – maybe he
(incorrectly) assumed that a 1-level overcall shows an opening hand? 2♥ (Michaels, showing ♠’s and a minor) is an alternative but I prefer
the simple 1♠ overcall.

(2)A help-suit game try.

(3)South now decided to show his ♠’s with a double.

(4)With a maximum and the ♠AQ, West has an easy raise to game.

(5)Unfortunately for N-S, North thought that the
double was for take-out and so bid his best minor.

Anyway, assume you
are East in 4♥ as in the book auction. What do you do after the ♠Q holds the first trick? Declarer should
plan to score 2 ♠’s, 5 ♥’s, 1 ♦ and 2 ♣’s. The best way to
achieve that, however, is not with the normal play in ♥’s - ♥K and a ♥ to the ♥J. That will produce
5 ♥ tricks if North started with ♥Qxx but runs
considerable risk.

You do not need the ♥Q onside. It is
sufficient if the trumps are 3-2. So after the ♠Q, cash the ♥K and play a ♥ to the ♥A. Then ♠ to the ♠A, a ♦ to the ♦A and ruff a ♠ with dummy’s last
trump. If North did start with ♥Qxx he will over-ruff
but you are still alright – he is over-ruffing with a winner which does not
reduce your own ♥ length (so you still make 5 ♥ tricks). Either way, you
then knock out the ♣A and have 10 tricks.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge Club? 5♣*
went -4 for 1100 and the top to N-S and this was closely followed by a silly 2♥*+1 which scored 870. Other scores were 2♥+1, 2♥+2,
3♥+1 and 4♥-1.

Correct signallingBoard 5 from Wednesday 8th

It is not good enough to simply say that a
low card is encouraging – there is a difference between the two and another low
card, and which low card you play may be important.

Dealer:♠ A862

North♥ 764WestNorth(C)EastSouth

N-S vul♦ KJ4-1♣(1)1♥dbl(2)

♣ AQJpass2♠(3)pass4♠

all pass

♠J3N♠ 74

♥ J32WE♥ AKQ98(1)What
did you open with this North hand C in

♦A75S♦986this week’s quiz? This flat
4333 with no

♣
109764♣ 852intermediates
is not worth 1NT and 1♣ is best.

♠ KQ1095(2)This South chose to negative double, I

♥
105would simply bid 1♠.

♦Q1032(3)North, with a known fit, decided to jump,

♣ K31♠ is better but leads
to the same contract.

Anyway, on to the
play. You are West and play low to encourage. Partner leads the ♥A, which card do you
play?

You should play the ♥3. Partner will take
this as encouraging and will continue with the ♥K, which is what you
want him to do as otherwise a ♥ from dummy may be discarded on a ♣. Partner continues
with the ♥K and now you play the ♥2. This now shows
discouragement in the suit and asks partner to shift - you do not want a 3rd♥ as this will give declarer a ruff and discard if partner has 6 ♥’s. Note what
happens if you think that the ♥2 and ♥3 are equals and
play the ♥2 on the first round. When you play the ♥3 next partner will
take this as a doubleton with the ability to over-ruff dummy. If partner had 6 ♥’s this would
present declarer with a ruff and discard. As it happens on this deal declarer
has 3 ♥’s and so it actually makes no difference, but that is
not the point.

And what happened? 4♠= four times, 3♠+1 twice.

The bottom lines: -

-The ♥2 and ♥3
are NOT equals as far as signaling is concerned. It did not matter on this deal
but it’s easy to construct hands where it is very important.

-The two is
a very important card in defensive play, especially if you play low to
encourage. Playing the two when partner leads against a suit contract is
unambiguous, you definitely like the suit for the two must either be low to
encourage or a singleton. The lead of a two against a NoTrump contract normally
guarantees exactly four cards in the suit. Other cards, like the three and the
four may be misleading, the two never is. What a great card to have in your
hand.Maybe you should add on a point for the possession
of all four twos? (only joking).

-

Note that if you play low to encourage, are defending a suit contract and partner leads the ace of a suit in which you have a low doubleton (and wish to ruff the third round) then you MUST play the lowest of your two cards. The ? 3 followed by the ? 2 does NOT show a doubleton if you play low to encourage on partner's lead.

Bidding Quiz Answers

Hand A:1♠. This hand easily has the values for a 1-level overcall. 2♥ (Michaels cue bid showing ♠’s and a minor) is a less attractive
alternative.

Hand B:3♥. I would bid 4♥ at favorable
vulnerability. I feel that this hand is too good for a conventional two-level
bid showing a long major, and also too good for a conventional 2♥ showing ♥’s
and a minor.

Hand C:1♣. Knock off a point for the totally flat 4333 shape, and with no
intermediates and a horrible ♥ holding this hand
is nowhere near worth 1NT.

Hand D:3♥, obey the Law. You presumably have a 9-card ♥ fit and so you should compete to the 9-trick level.

Bidding Sequence Quiz

E1♥pass2♥pass(a)2♠ is a help-suit game try that could well be
4-cards

2♠dbl(b)The
dbl is presumably showing ♠’s. 2NT would be for the minors but then he
should have bid that last go.